1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to food products and to their method of preparation. More particularly, the present invention relates to instant hot cereals based upon oatmeal and to solutes infusion methods of their preparation.
2. The Prior Art
Hot, cooked oatmeal or "prepared oatmeal" has long been a popular food item especially for breakfast. Traditionally, oat groats are steamed for softening and for enzyme inactivation. The steamed groats are then rolled into flakes, optionally sized, dried and packaged. The consumer cooks the oatmeal flakes with hot water, boiling for up to 12 minutes.
While popular, flaked or traditional oatmeal is time consuming to prepare. "Traditional" style oatmeal as used herein refers to a prepared oatmeal characterized by the texture, appearance, and product integrity of whole oat flakes, i.e., of flakes of relatively large size as compared to either quick oats or instant oats. Since oat groats vary in size, the oatmeal flakes prepared therefrom will also vary in size. "Traditional" oatmeal is especially characterized by whole oat flakes. To reduce preparation time, "quick oats" and "instant oatmeal" have long since been developed. Both these products require reduced hot water steeping times of 1-6 minutes and 30-60 seconds respectively.
The methods by which these rapidly rehydrating products are prepared have long been known. "Quick Oats" have been known for over fifty years while Instant Oats have also long been known. (See, U.S. Pat. No. 2,864,702, issued Dec. 16, 1958 to Murray et al. for "Instant Oats"). Generally, the flaked oats are cooked or gelatinized, dried and, most importantly reduced in flake particle size and thickness. By virtue of the gelatinizing and particle size reduction, rehydration rates are increased resulting in reduced product preparation times. Since traditional oatmeal is also characterized by a viscous texture which does not develop within these reduced preparation times, various viscosity building additives have been taught for addition to these dry products or modification of the oat starch to build viscosity (see U.S. Pat. No. 2,999,018 issued Sept. 5, 1961 to Huffman et al.).
Unfortunately, while more convenient in terms of reduced preparation times, the hot prepared oatmeal cereals prepared from both quick oats and instant oats suffer from texture deterioration. Individual flakes are not recognized. The texture is gruel-like, notwithstanding the self promotional claims of some references with respect to their possession of the texture of traditional oatmeal.
The limitations of instant oatmeal with respect to texture have long been known. Attempts to overcome consumer's aversion have included the addition of flavors or spices, dried fruits (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,526,514 issued Sept. 1, 1970 to Gralak et al.) and/or cream flavor and conveniences in packaging, i.e., individual portion sizes. While popular, these flavored and/or convenience packaged products have only modestly increased the appeal of instant oatmeal. Unfortunately, major technical improvements of instant oatmeal have stagnated, at least in terms of texture improvement, for nearly thirty years, although modest improvements have been taught. (See U.S. Pat. No. 2,898,210 issued Aug. 4, 1959 to W. G. Dale et al. wherein steam treatment of oat groats is taught.)
Recently, more interest has been kindled in encouraging oatmeal consumption due to the health benefits, especially the hypocholesteremic benefits of oatmeal or oat fractions, e.g., oat bran (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,840 issued Feb. 5, 1985 to Gould et al.). Nonetheless, the texture limitations remain and instant oatmeal is considered by those knowledgeable as being a fully developed art.
Surprisingly, the present invention provides an instant traditional oatmeal capable of preparation without cooking, i.e., the mere addition of hot water to oatmeal, and which is further characterized by prepared flakes of the size, shape and thickness as well as texture of traditional oatmeal. More surprisingly, neither added gums, starches nor native oat starch modification is required.
The present instant traditional oatmeal flake product is prepared by simple infusion into oatmeal flakes or groats of low molecular weight solutes such as sugars, salt, sugar alcohols and mixtures thereof. While solutes infusion has long been common for the preparation of dried fruits, vegetables and, prior to modern canning, of fish and meats, apparently in fifty years of quick oatmeal research, infusion has not been taught or suggested for use as a means of preparing instant, traditional oatmeal. The present invention thus provides an elegantly simple method of overcoming a long-standing problem in the art.